Manipulator device

Abstract

A child unit ( 30 ) is configured to freely pivot about a first axial center (AX 1 ) relative to a parent unit ( 10 ), and a grandchild unit ( 50 ) including a manipulator ( 56 ) is configured to freely pivot about a second axial center (AX 2 ), which is orthogonal to the first axial center (AX 1 ), relative to the child unit ( 30 ). A first rotary volume ( 32 ) is configured to detect a relative pivot amount of the parent unit ( 10 ) and the child unit ( 30 ) about the first axial center (AX 1 ), and a second rotary volume ( 39 ) is configured to detect a relative pivot amount of the child unit ( 30 ) and the grandchild unit ( 50 ) about the second axial center (AX 2 ). Both the first rotary volume ( 32 ) and the second rotary volume ( 39 ) are mounted to an electrical circuit board ( 43 ) of the child unit ( 30 ).

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A manipulator device comprising:
 a first unit; 
 a second unit supported by the first unit and configured to be freely pivotable about a first axial center relative to the first unit; 
 a third unit, comprising a manipulator, supported by the second unit and configured to be freely pivotable about a second axial center relative to the second unit, the second axial center being non-parallel to the first axial center; 
 a first detector configured to detect a pivot amount of the second unit relative to the first unit about the first axial center; and 
 a second detector configured to detect a pivot amount of the third unit relative to the second unit about the second axial center, 
 wherein the first detector comprises a first rotary volume having a first housing arranged in the second unit and a first rotary shaft projecting from the first housing, 
 wherein the second detector comprises a second rotary volume having a second housing arranged in the second unit and a second rotary shaft projecting from the second housing, 
 wherein the first rotary shaft is disposed extending along the first axial center, and 
 wherein the second rotary shaft is disposed extending along the second axial center. 
 
     
     
       2. The manipulator device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the manipulator is manipulable to pivot about the first axial center to pivot the second unit about the first axial center with respect to the first unit, and 
 the manipulator is manipulable to pivot about the second axial center to pivot the third unit about the second axial center with respect to the second unit. 
 
     
     
       3. The manipulator device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first detector is configured to detect a relative rotation amount between the first rotary shaft and the first housing, and 
 the second detector is configured to detect a relative rotation amount between the second rotary shaft and the second housing. 
 
     
     
       4. The manipulator device according to  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a first pivot portion integral with the second unit and freely pivotable about the first axial center; and 
 a second pivot portion integral with the third unit and freely pivotable about the second axial center, 
 wherein the first unit supports the second unit so that the second unit freely pivots about the first axial center by supporting the first pivot portion and fixing the first rotary shaft to the first unit so that the first rotary shaft is non-rotatable about the first axial center with respect to the first unit, and 
 wherein the second unit supports the third unit so that the third unit freely pivots about the second axial center by supporting the second pivot portion and fixing the second rotary shaft to the third unit so that the second rotary shaft is non-rotatable about the second axial center with respect to the third unit. 
 
     
     
       5. The manipulator device according to  claim 4 , wherein:
 the first unit supports the second unit so that the second unit is immovable in the direction of the first axial center, and 
 the second unit supports the third unit so that the third unit is immovable in the direction of the second axial center. 
 
     
     
       6. The manipulator device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first spring locked to the first unit and driven by the second unit to apply a force of returning to an initial position to the second unit; and 
 a second spring locked to the second unit and driven by the third unit to apply a force of returning to an initial position to the third unit. 
 
     
     
       7. The manipulator device according to  claim 1 , wherein the first axial center and the second axial center are orthogonal to each other. 
     
     
       8. The manipulator device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a common electrical circuit board arranged in the second unit, 
 wherein the first housing and the second housing are mounted to the common electrical circuit board. 
 
     
     
       9. The manipulator device according to  claim 8 , wherein:
 the common electrical circuit board has an L-shape, and 
 the first housing and the second housing are respectively-mounted to the common electrical circuit board with the first and second rotary shafts respectively extending outwardly from the common electrical circuit board. 
 
     
     
       10. The manipulator device according to  claim 9 , further comprising a connector terminal portion provided at a bent portion of the L-shape of the common electrical circuit board. 
     
     
       11. The manipulator device according to  claim 1 , wherein a signal line from the first detector and a signal line from the second detector are bundled into a single signal line bundle, which is led to an outside. 
     
     
       12. The manipulator device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a conductive cover covering the first and second detectors and provided as measures against EMC of the first and second detectors.